WiNGS, New Friends New Life, and Metrocrest Services recently completed an 18-month national demonstration project on building strategic partnerships and revealed their findings to foundation, nonprofit, and community leaders from across Dallas at an Aug. 9 forum.

Funded by JPMorgan Chase and implemented by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), the project focused on partnerships that integrate financial capability services among partner organizations. The participating nonprofits leveraged their choice of three prototype models – DIY (Do-It-Yourself), Partnership, or Referral – to integrate financial capacity offerings into their existing services.

“Financial well-being is often at the root of the challenges community organizations are working to address. We look forward to building on these findings to create effective partnerships that help families reach their goals,” said Jennifer M. Ware, WiNGS CEO. “Today’s Community Form is a call to action to look at new ways in which we work strategically to maximize both financial resources and client success.”

“By thinking deeply about our programs as real people experience them, we can design solutions that work for the people who need them most,” explained CFED President Andrea Levere. “WiNGS’ participation in the Community Financial Empowerment Learning Partnership is the perfect case in point. With strong partners at the table, their financial capability integration efforts reached nearly 4,000 people across the Dallas community. 

According to research by CFED, nearly 52 percent of households in Dallas lack sufficient liquid assets to subsist at the poverty level for three months should they suddenly lose their income.

“Regarding poverty, we are at a crisis in Dallas. We have to work together and deal with this systematically,” stated Regina Montoya, chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Poverty.  

Additionally, the demonstration project proved strategic partnerships among organizations can boost programmatic outcomes and maximize community and philanthropic resources that are focused on poverty. Top outcomes discovered include reduced duplication, enhanced financial capability service offerings, and a greater likelihood of success for clients.

“We were pleased to be part of this collaboration with WiNGS and Metrocrest. It is critical to share our learnings from this project with other community and nonprofit leaders who are making a real difference for the people they serve,” New Friends New Life CEO Katie Pedigo said. “New Friends New Life works to empower survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and we know how crippling financial insecurity can be for families. It’s imperative that we continue to leverage outcomes from this project to ensure organizations like ours are maximizing resources to drive meaningful change.”

For more information about the project, visit http://www.newfriendsnewlife.org/blog/2016/8/9/nonprofit-partnership-address-poverty

Executives In Action (EIA) is pleased to announce it is now accepting spring grant applications through May 8, 2015. EIA partners North Texas nonprofit grant recipients with seasoned executives in the midst of shifting careers with specialized skill sets, that the nonprofit would otherwise not be able to afford. The goal of the grant partnerships is that a transformational impact will be made on the organization, the members it serves, the executive volunteers and the community as a whole to help address business management. 

The nonprofits selected have a tremendous impact on the North Texas area due to both the unique needs they satisfy in the community and their collaboration with other local nonprofits. Executives work with grant recipients over a six to nine month time period, reporting back to EIA on progress made and suggested next steps. The last group of grant recipients that EIA is currently working with include: Akola Project, Alley’s House, Assistance Center of Collin County, Behind Every Door, Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County, Collin County Adult Clinic, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, Dallas Teacher Residency, Exodus Ministries, One Man’s Treasure, Promise House, Resource Center of Dallas Inc., SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center, St. Philip’s School and Community Center and The Salvation Army. 

"We are excited about our most recent grant recipients,” Andrea White, EIA’s director of grants and programs said. “Their missions are all diverse and each exists to lift up our community. We are looking forward to seeing how EIA and our executive partners will have a rich and deep impact on all of them in the coming months as they work to help the organizations more efficiently and effectively achieve their missions and expand their reach in our area."

“Service has become a normal part of my routine and I have EIA to thank for that,” EIA Executive Chuck Roundtree said. “EIA not only helped me see value in what I had to offer during a challenging moment in my life but more importantly EIA taught me the true value and joy in giving and serving others in our community. It has transformed my life forever.”

To apply for a spring grant, nonprofits based in North Texas are invited to visit executivesinaction.org for more information and qualifications. The application process will be open now through Friday, May 8, 2015.  

About Executives In Action (EIA):

Executives In Action (EIA) is a registered 501(c)(3) focused on supporting North Texas-area charitable organizations. EIA provides high-level service grants to nonprofit organizations with the purpose of enhancing their efficiency, management and impact. Senior executive consultants in transition, who use their years of business experience to complete the projects, fulfill grants. To learn more, visit executivesinaction.org.